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@leiten tats gatwt @fitta CHAR-LES H. FOWLER, 0F WEST ROXBURY,MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 65,067, dated May 28, 1867.

IMPROVED CURTAIN FIXTURE.

tlge .salaris maar in in tigen tetta's ntnit mit nuttig @mit nt tigesans.

TO ALL 'lO WI-IOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:

Be it known that I, CHARLES I-I. FOWLER, of West Roxbury, in the countyof Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inWindow-Curtain Fixtures; and do hereby declare the following to beafull, clear, and exact description thereof', due reference being had tothe accompanyingT drawings, makin-g part of this specification, and inwhiehi Figure l is a front elevation of a windo\\'-eurtain and itsroller and supporting brackets, and with the said curtain lowered to itsutmost extent.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the curtain androller and tue brackets.

Figure 3 is a vertical and transverse, and

Figure 4 a horizontal, section of one of' the brackets to be described.

Figure 5 is a side view of the curtain separated from its roller; and

Figure G a side view of it as partially inserted within the roller. Y

The object of this invention is to produce a device for causing afriction upon a curtain-[roller sui'licien't to overcome the weightofthe curtain without the employment of a weighted tasschand to s0vregulate this friction that it shall'be reduced er lessened when--pulling upon the cord in the act 'of raising the curtain.

The invention consists in applying to the roller and its support-ingbracket a sliding-spring bea-ring orsemibox disposed belowjthe journalof the roller and in' the chamber which receives such journal, in suchmanner that it shall press upon the journal when the curtain isat restor while being lowered, but which will allow such pressure to be removedtoa great extent when pulling upon the curtain cord, essentially ashereinafter described.

The invention further consists in a novel application of a. knot orbutton to the curtain, by means of which it may be readily andexpeditiously inserted within the groove in the roller provided for itsreception.

In the drawings above referred to as illustrating my invention, Adenotes the curtain, and B its carryingroller; C C being the bracketsfor supporting such roller, one ofthe brackets being constructed andboth being applied to the window in the usual manner.` 'lhe righthandbracket C has'a chamber, a, formed in its inner face, the form of thischamber being shownv in tig, 3 of the drawings, as composed ofasemicircular recess, a', for receivingone-half of the roller-journaland a rectangular space, c, for receiving a sliding recessed bearing, d,which is disposed within such portion and supports the roller,` and soas to be capable of vertical movements therein, a spiral spring, e,being placed between thebottom of the space c and the bearipg d, for thepurpose of pressingthe roller-journal upto its bearing within thesemicircular recess a. The bearing d may be confined within the space cby any. proper means which will allow of its free vertical movements andprevent it from becoming detached therefrom.

, From the above description it will be evident that the friction uponthe roller-journal by the tension of the spring c will counterbalancethe weight ot the curtain and retain it in any desirable positionwithout the aid of z iweighted tassel, the tensile power of the springbeing proportioned to the size and weight of the curtain. It will alsobe evident` that ,the downward pull upon the curtain-cord, when itbecomes necessary to raise the curtain, `will overcome the tension ofthespring and lower the bearing' d and free the roller-journal from ContactAwith the semicircular recess, and consequently from the pressure orfriction between it and the bearing. By rcleasing the hold upon thecurtain-cord the spring will instantly restore this friction andmaintain the curtain iu the position in which it is left.

The second feature in the invention 'above alluded to consists inapplying a knot or buttoruf, to the upper right-hand corner of thecurtain, as shown in figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings; acurtain with thisknot attached being intended to be applied to a roller provided with ahorizontal groove, and a strip to enter and fill this groove and enclosethe end of the curtain between them. The object of this knot or buttonis to cause the curtain to be readily carried into the groove, beingwell known that this is a diiiicult matter to accomplish in many cases,as'the curtain is very apt to crease and fold inthe act. In myinvention, as the strip is inserted within the groove, it strikesagainst the knot and carries it before it, and consequently draws thecurtain into the groove very expeditiously and smoothly.

y I claim the combination, with a curtain-roller, of a sliding orspring-box or clamp, under such an arrangement that the said box orclamp shall not only constitute the means by which the roller andcurtainare held in position, but also support the journal of the said roller atall tim-es and form the bearing in which it revolves, as herein setforth.

I also claim the combination of the journal of a curtain-roller with therecessed bracket and sliding or spring bearing, substantially in themanner and for the'purposes herein specified. I

CHARLES H. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

C. W. BALDWIN, FREDERICK CURTIS..

